“They Have Deprived our People of Every Democratic Liberty”: 1945 and the End of Empire

For many American teachers, we often begin teaching the Post-World War II era with the beginning of the Cold War. It shouldn’t be surprising that the Cold War takes precedence over the demands of colonized people for independence. An easy way to remedy this Eurocentric narrative is by focusing on Southeast Asia. In just over two weeks, both Indonesians and Vietnamese declared their independence from colonial rule. These declarations are excellent resources for centering the narrative of decolonization.

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